In this review, we will be comparing 702 S3 and PerformaBe F228Be, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Bowers Wilkins and Revel.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of B&W 702 S3 and Revel PerformaBe F228Be first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | B&W 702 S3 | Revel PerformaBe F228Be |
|---|
| Brand | Bowers Wilkins
United Kingdom · founded 1966 | Revel
United States · founded 1996 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" | 1" dome with proprietary acoustic lens waveguide |
|---|
| Midrange | 6" | 5.25" |
|---|
| Woofer | 3 x 6.5" Aerofoil | 2 x 8" DCC Aluminum |
|---|
| Frequency response | 46-28k Hz | 27-44k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 90 dB | 90 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 30-300 watts | 50-350 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 33.46kg / 73.6lbs | 37.27kg / 82lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 44.8" x 7.6" x 15.4"
1138.0 x 192.0 x 391.0mm | 46-1/2" x 11-13/16" x 13-1/4"
1182.0 x 301.0 x 337.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the B&W 702 S3 and Revel PerformaBe F228Be speakers good for?
The size of the room in which you are planning to use these loudspeakers is an important decision
factor. Here we have compared their suitability to various sizes of environments considering their size
and max power parameters:
| Listening Environment* |
B&W 702 S3 |
Revel PerformaBe F228Be |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Are you nuts? |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
Good |
(* Approximate Room sizes: Small < 100sq. ft / 9 m2,
Mid-size: 100-220 sq. ft / 9-20 m2, Large 220-400 sq. ft / 20-36 m2, Very Large: >
400 sq. ft / 36 m2.
Average Floor Height: 9" / 2.7m. Typical room sizes differ from country to country, and the actual
listening experience changes depending on floor height, room shape, surface materials, listening
position, speaker locations, etc.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both 702 S3 and PerformaBe F228Be are 3-way speakers.
B&W 702 S3Revel PerformaBe F228Be
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
B&W 702 S3 |
Revel PerformaBe F228Be |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6-inch |
1 x 5.25-inch |
|
Woofer
|
3 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 8-inch
|
702 S3 features a 1" Tweeter, a 6" Midrange and 3 x 6.5" Aerofoil Woofer. On the other hand, the PerformaBe F228Be features a 1" beryllium dome with proprietary acoustic lens waveguide Tweeter, a 5.25" Midrange and 2 x 8" DCC Aluminum Woofer.
Frequency Response
702 S3 has a frequency range of 46-28k Hz whereas PerformaBe F228Be has a frequency range of 27-44k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 27Hz, the PerformaBe F228Be can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the 702 S3's min frequency of 46Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
Neither pair reaches down to 20Hz, the usual definition of full-range, which is normal for speakers of this size. If you want the bottom octave for movies or bass-heavy music, add a subwoofer to whichever you choose. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
702 S3 and PerformaBe F228Be have the same Impedance of 8 ohms and their sensitivity is also same at 88 dB.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing Speakers
Power Range
Power
range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
PerformaBe F228Be can handle a max power of 350 watts RMS, whereas 702 S3 has a max power handling value of 300 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the PerformaBe F228Be.
Note that higher power handling does not make a speaker louder: that depends mainly on
sensitivity and impedance. The calculator below shows how loud each of these actually plays
on a real amplifier.
Which plays louder on your amplifier?
Starting with a popular amplifier - change it to the one you own, or any you are
considering, and watch both numbers move.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Both 702 S3 and PerformaBe F228Be features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
B&W 702 S3's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
702 S3 has a rear firing port whereas PerformaBe F228Be has a front firing ports. Revel PerformaBe F228Be's front-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to B&W 702 S3 with its rear-firing port.
Physical Specs
The size of a speaker can sometimes be an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare B&W 702 S3's and Revel PerformaBe F228Be's external dimensions. B&W 702 S3 has external dimensions of 1138.0 x 192.0 x 391.0mm (44.8-inch x 7.6-inch x 15.4-inch) whereas Revel PerformaBe F228Be has external dimensions of 1182.0 x 301.0 x 337.0mm (46-1/2 x 11-13/16 x 13-1/4inch).
B&W 702 S3 is 109mm narrower and 44mm shorter than Revel PerformaBe F228Be but it is also 54mm deeper.
Base Surface Area Comparison
Base surface area of a loudspeaker may become a determining factor when the space in your room or desk is limited.
The base surface area of the B&W 702 S3 is approximately 750.7cm2 / 116.4inch2 and base area of the Revel PerformaBe F228Be is approximately 1014.4cm2 / 157.2inch2. The 702 S3 requires 26% less surface area than the PerformaBe F228Be which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
Weight Comparison The weight of a loudspeaker can become an important factor if you need to move and reposition the unit often. Weight of a speaker can also "sometimes" be an indicator of the rigidity of the enclosure and the quality of the internal components used. The B&W 702 S3 weighs 33.46kg / 73.6lbs and the Revel PerformaBe F228Be weighs 37.27kg / 82lbs. This makes the PerformaBe F228Be 11% heavier than the 702 S3.
Here is a comparison of how 702 S3 and PerformaBe F228Be's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
What's in the Box of B&W 702 S3?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of 702 S3:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille
- Plinth (base)
- 2 Jumper-straps (pre-installed)
- Two-piece foam port plug
- 4 Rubber feet
- 4 Spike feet
- 4 Lock-nuts
- 4 Screws
- 4 Washers
- 4 Lock washers
- Hex-key
- Manual
- Bowers & Wilkins brochure
- Warranty Information
What's in the Box of Revel PerformaBe F228Be?
Here are the items that come with the PerformaBe F228Be:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille
- 4 Spike feet
- 4 Locking rings
- 4 Washers
- 2 Terminal jumpers (pre-installed)
- Foam port plug
- Owners Manual
 Number of Woofers |
3
vs
2
|
More woofers |
 Height |
1138mm
vs
1182mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
750cm2
vs
1014cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
6998USD
vs
11000USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
350 watts
vs
300 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
90 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
|
Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
6.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
27 Hz
vs
46 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
44k Hz
vs
28k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Port Position |
Front
vs
Rear
|
Gives more flexibility placing close to walls |
| General |
Bowers & Wilkins 702 S3 |
Revel PerformaBe F228Be |
| Brand |
Bowers Wilkins |
Revel |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
30-300 watts |
50-350 watts |
| Sensitivity |
90 dB |
90 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.1 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
46-28k Hz |
27-44k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
3 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
Aerofoil |
DCC Aluminum |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
n/a |
dome with proprietary acoustic lens waveguide |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
6" |
5.25" |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1138.0mm (44.8") |
1182.0mm (46.5") |
| Width |
192.0mm (7.6") |
301.0mm (11.9") |
| Depth |
391.0mm (15.4") |
337.0mm (13.3") |
| Weight |
33.46kg (73.6lbs) |
37.27kg (82lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Lacquer |
Wood/Lacquer |
| Available Colors |
Gloss Black,Satin White,Mocha,Rosenut |
Gloss White |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
A generation apart: B&W 702 S3 is the newer design, against a 2017 model. Newer is not automatically better, but the older one is more likely to be discounted or near run-out.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | Revel PerformaBe F228Be digs deeper - 27Hz against 46Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | B | Revel PerformaBe F228Be is more sensitive (90dB vs 88dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (300W vs 350W). |
| Size | depends | B&W 702 S3 is easier to place; Revel PerformaBe F228Be is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | B&W 702 S3: bi-amping; Revel PerformaBe F228Be: bi-amping. B&W 702 S3 sits in a wider range (8 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | A | B&W 702 S3 is cheaper - $6,998 against $11,000, about 36% less. |
A B&W 702 S3 B Revel PerformaBe F228Be
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, your system or how you will use them. Only specs published for both speakers are judged; anything missing on either side is left out rather than guessed.
Which should you choose?
The usual trade-off: Revel PerformaBe F228Be measures better, B&W 702 S3 costs about about 57% more% less. Whether that gap is worth the money is the call only you can make - and in a normal room it is often smaller than the numbers suggest. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 46Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper B&W 702 S3 much easier to justify. Match it to your room: we rate Revel PerformaBe F228Be the better fit for a very large room; elsewhere the two are rated the same.
And remember what a spec sheet cannot show: how each looks in your room and whether the finish suits it, what dealer support and warranty are like where you live, and how they actually sound to you. If you can hear them first - ideally with your own music - that will tell you more than any number above.